Philippines Scams & Warnings

Posts Tagged ‘Scam’

Michel:

Middle nov. 2008 i was contacted in ym by a girl, angelblack_0888@yahoo.com, nice talks, later a request for some money to buy food. I had no experience at all with these stories. I started to send, first small amounts (food, medication, transportation), later the amounts became bigger (new mobile). The name of the girl was “Michelle de Guzman”, 22y old. Now i know that it just was a fake name with falsified identity. But it was no problem, one of the tellers in Dinalupihan (Bataan) was a friend of “Michelle”. In july 2009 i travelled to Manila for a first meeting. Nobody showed up at the airport, “michelle” showed up later at the hotel, joined by Bhea, a gay, he was the owner of the ID “angelblack_0888″, i discouvered it later. Also joined them a friend, Mary ann and her little daughter Trisha. I think we visited all malls in Manila, shopping for Michelle and Bhea. They ware txting all the time (the gay gived instructions to Michelle). Mary Ann and her daughter just observed what was happening. The behavior of Bhea and Michelle was disturbing me. I sent Bhea away. We rent a van to go to Olongapo. The codriver was a relative of Michelle, so she told me. Michelle leaved me at evening, because she had to take care about her brother, she had to join him at a schoolactivity, her parents ware dead so it was her duty. Nobody returned, i called Mary Ann to know what was happening…
One hour later they arrived at the hotel, Mary Ann, Michelle, and 2 other gayfriends. Michelle had to confess things to me, she was not at all Michelle, but Pamela Santos, 17y old, 18 in oct 2009. She just was the face on the internet of a game that Bhea (in real Travis Vizda) was playing with me. I know now also that she delivered her “services” for other gay in her village, she only got a small part of the money i sent. She asked forgiveness and they invited me to join them to their village, Dinalupihan. So, i did… The next day, at evening, Pamela’s parents joined me at the room where i stayed. I decided to return to Manila to save my vacation. I really was confused… I visited friends in Cebu (an american retired soldier, he had the same experience on the net). I still had some contact with Pamela, because she was forced to do this to me, i tought. I decided to see her back before i returned home and yes, we made some promises to her, if she stopped her internet”work” i should send some support. Nice words, nice promises, i could return home not totaly disappointed.
I was invited to celebrate her 18th b-day on oct.30, so i returned to Dinalupihan. Pamela expected some amount for the celebration (20.000 pesos), but we never celebrated her b-day, she joined her friends all the time, leaving me alone at her place. Her parents tryed to entertain me, but this was the reason of my vacation.
I still was very naive… her explanation to me was that she didnt know how to handdle in my presense.
I continued my support because i made this promise to her parents. Pamela promised me to act more mature if i wanted to return. So i did, this year in april, with alot of expectations… nothing became true, she showed the same attitude, she hardly was at home. By respect for her parents, i didnt want to abuse their hospitality i stayed also all this time at their place. Back home all the nice talks restart, promises, begging for help for her study in a private school. Again i paid all schoolcosts, uniforms, books, seminars, excursions, midterm and finals. Pamela started at that time to talk about marrying me, i know now that it just was a warranty of my support. We should talk about in during my next visit. I arrived oct 22 in Manila, for the first time Pamela was also at the airport to pick me up. But from the start i had again that bad feeling and yes, already at the first day she joined her friends, leaving me alone, i went that evening to a hotel in Olongapo, because i told her before that i shouldnt stay this time if she didnt keep her promise to me to share all her time. Her father joined me for the night. They convinced me to return to Dinalupihan in the morning. Yes, i still wanted to give her a last chance. Her attitude changed but just for very short, so i decided to return to manila, staying in Dinalupihan should be again a wast of time by waiting for Pam. I recieved a few txt of her about my plans for her birthday, but it was no invitation to join her, just to get her gifts i think. I invited her to join me in Manila, twice she asked for money for transport, she never leaved her place. Just a few hours before my return home she came to Manila with her father, at that moment i heared from her school that she dropped school just after enrollment, i feeled so cheated, so i decided not to see her anymore, she probably just came to pickup her b-daygift (a laptop) and money for school again..
When y read all this y can say that i really was stupid, i admit. I was blinded by love, Pamela was blinded by money, she dont know the color of my eyes i guess, she only say the €-signs in it
Why i wrote this? By revenge? No, just as warning, you all could be the next. 3 days ago i saw that the first ymID is activated again, probably looking for a new victim.
So, stay away from angelblack_0888 or ella_rapella@yahoo.com just only contact them if you really hate your money!

I am a 30 year old American and this is how I was scammed in the Philippines.

On my first day in Manila I went to Intramuros to sightsee.  While there I went to Manila Cathedral.  While inside Manila Cathedral I met two very nice respectable girls that invited me to lunch with their family in China town.  So I met their family.  There aunts, one uncle and the boyfriend of one of the girls.  While here they informed me that they were traveling as well and were from Baguio.  They invited me to join them as they had a minivan and were going to the kind of places that I wanted to see.  So foolishly I accepted.  Two days later they picked me up at my hotel and we set off to Tagaytay.  We saw the sights during the day and at night we drank and told jokes and had a good old time.

Now at some point, after I had been drinking a bit it was suggested I make a run to an ATM since in Northern Luzon it can hard to find ATMs and to make sure my card worked.  So we went to an ATM at about 9:30 at night.  Now mind you it was a real bank (Allied Bank) and a real ATM.  But what I probably didn’t notice was that their was a device their to clone my card and capture my pin number.  At some point after that I believe I was drugged since I don’t remember much more of the night and I wasn’t that drunk.

The next day I woke up and was fine and we proceeded with our trip.  We drove north stopping the town of San Jose.  Again we had a good time and all seemed well.  We sang karaoke and had a few beers.  The next morning however they claimed that they had a car problem and showed me what appeared to be some sort of leak in the car.  They said they would drop me off in Banaue and come back for me the next day.  They also asked if I could spare a 1000 pesos for the return trip to get me.  And of course I paid.

Upon my next ATM visit a few days later I am told that I have insufficient funds.  I figure this is some sort of error and just use another card and think little of it.  It isn’t until I return home that I confirm what has happened to me and they instead of it being and error my bank account really has been run dry.  They ran 19 transactions at the max on the first night.  Waited 2 days (the day when I was dropped off) and then ran 7 more until my account was done.

In hindsight, despite how warm and caring they seemed, there were small signs that could be seen.  First, nobody on their trip had a camera or took pictures.  When we went to sites most people just stayed behind.  Second, I was never clear as to what everyone’s relationship was and nobody could seem to adequately explain it.  Third, despite the fact that they are planning to be on the road with you for over a week everyone has a really small bag.   The last thing let me know for sure that it was them is that at some point, probably while I was drugged, they deleted all photos of themselves from my camera.

So word to the wise, be very careful.  Not all scams involve poor pretty women or buying things.  I hope that someone benefits from my experience.  If you have any comments or questions I’d be very interested.